On June 17, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) published updated guidance clarifying the police certificate requirements for applicants under the International Experience Canada (IEC) program.

The IEC program includes the Working Holiday category, Recognized Organization (RO) programs commonly used by Japanese nationals, as well as other work permit streams such as Young Professionals.

The updated guidance provides greater clarity regarding when police certificates must be issued and from which countries they are required, helping applicants better understand the documentation needed for their work permit applications.

Applicants must provide a police certificate from their current country or territory of residence if it was issued within six months before the date their work permit application is received by IRCC.

For example, an applicant residing in Japan must ensure that their Japanese police certificate was issued within six months of the application submission date.

Applicants who have lived in another country for six consecutive months or longer since turning 18 years old must provide a police certificate from each such country.

The police certificate must have been issued after the applicant last lived in that country.

For example, individuals who have previously lived in countries such as Australia or New Zealand for an extended period may be required to submit police certificates from those countries.

Police Certificate Issuance Timing Rules by Country of Residence

Even applicants from countries that do not normally require a police certificate may be asked to provide one at the discretion of an immigration officer.

In such cases, the police certificate must have been issued within six months before the work permit application was received by IRCC.

U.S. citizens and permanent residents who have only lived in the United States and who participate in IEC through a Recognized Organization are not required to submit a police certificate upfront.

However, if they have lived in another country for six months or longer since the age of 18, they must provide a police certificate from that country issued after their last period of residence there.

If a police certificate is issued in a language other than English or French, applicants must submit both the original document and a certified translation.

Japanese police certificates are often available in English, but applicants should confirm the available format with the issuing authority before applying.

Obtaining a police certificate can take time in some countries. If applicants are unable to obtain the document before the submission deadline, they may upload proof that they have applied for it, such as a receipt or confirmation email.

Applicants should note that the official police certificate will still be required later, so it is important to begin the process as early as possible.

Requests for additional documents due to missing or expired police certificates are not uncommon in IEC applications.

Applicants who have previously studied, worked, or lived in multiple countries should carefully review their travel and residence history to determine which police certificates may be required and begin gathering the necessary documents well in advance.

If you are planning to apply for a Working Holiday permit or an RO work permit under the IEC program, make sure you review the latest requirements and prepare your supporting documents accordingly.

Shiraishi Visa JP Canada provides professional assistance with IEC applications, including Working Holiday and RO work permit applications. If you would like support with your application, please feel free to contact us.

If you are planning to apply for a Working Holiday or RO work visa but feel anxious about incomplete documents or are unsure how to calculate your past residence history, please leave it to the professionals.

At Shiraishi Visa JP Canada, we handle numerous IEC visa applications. Our government authorized immigration consultants will thoroughly review your travel history in advance and process your application to ensure all police certificate requirements are perfectly met.

• You do not know how to obtain police certificates from other countries
• Your application deadline is approaching and you need assistance dealing with delays
• You want peace of mind by entrusting the entire RO visa or Working Holiday visa application process to experts

Contact us today for a free assessment or individual counseling to check your visa application possibilities.

This article is a summary prepared by Visa JP Canada based on official information from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), organized for clarity and ease of understanding.
Source: International Experience Canada: Assessing an application (English)